A321XLR: Likely delay in delivery!

Touted as a game-changer that could see single-aisle long-haul travel, the A321XLR has hit a roadblock in the form of regulatory issues surrounding its additional fuel tank that was to be fused directly into the fuselage. Added to that are supply chain woes. The aircraft could now see a delay in the entry for service with the timeline moving most likely to 2024. An insight into the developments.

Air cargo demand picks up in China

A slight recovery of factory output in China after the Lunar New Year holiday, a rise in manufacturing exports elsewhere and incremental improvement in inflation are helping global demand and rates achieve some sense of seasonal stability after a yearlong slump.

Fraport tests autonomous tractor for cargo handling

Fraport said it is trialling an autonomous cargo tractor at Frankfurt Airport as part of efforts to automate some operations at Europe's busiest hub.

Pradhaan Air first relief flight strengthens ties

One of the youngest Cargo Airline in India, Pradhaan Air Express recently supported the effort of the international aid agency's relief supply movement from Indian soil to Turkey.

Boosting connectivity to Northeast

With a massively booming tea and tourism industry, the north-eastern region of India is all poised to emerge as a world-class air transport hub in the long run.

A deep quagmire for Pawan Hans !

The government has scrubbed its plan to privatise Pawan Hans as of now. The way forward also looks unclear. An in-depth report.

The Air India juggernaut

Air India has commenced what will be the most dramatic turnaround in its history. And this complete makeover includes a new fleet, new ethos, new personnel and new routes. AMEYA JOSHI examines the road ahead.

Will The E-2 Make An Impact?

India has one Embraer operator in Star Air. But there is huge potential in the E2. Will any other airline go for this jet from Brazil? AMEYA JOSHI examines the Embraer saga in the Indian subcontinent

'Rock and Roll' aircraft auctioned off!

An enduring symbol of rock 'n' roll- the private jet belonging to the iconic singer Elvis Presley furnished with cosy red velvet seats, a microwave, and old-fashioned styling, was auctioned off in Florida on his 88th birthday.

Q&A: "We completed four years of ops"

Addition of night landing facilities, ILS, and 24X7 operations can lead to exponential growth of the airline, says SIMRAN SINGH TIWANA, CEO of Star Air, in this interview with CRUISING HEIGHTS

Q&A: "Digital Tower is a next-gen solution"

Saab's Digital Tower is a flexible and scalable solution for a broad range of use cases, explains MATS PALMBERG, Chairman and Managing Director, Saab India, in this interaction with CRUISING HEIGHTS

Q&A: "We received 1100+ engine orders"

The GTF Advantage engine will be available starting in 2024, initially in low-rate production and phasing in fully over 24 months. It will be intermixable/ interchangeable with the current configuration, says ASHMITA SETHI, President and Country Head, Pratt & Whitney, in this oneon-one with CRUISING HEIGHTS

Mission Gaganyaan: ISRO gets back to work

The Indian human spaceflight programme has the potential to create an all-new aerospace ecosystem for setting up associated industries, boosting thousands of MSMEs in the sector and creating at least 15,000 jobs for Indian youth related to the domain.

Q&A: "Interest in the 6X is high"

The Falcon 6X is an ideal aircraft for the Indian market, able to fly at high-speed cruise nonstop from any point in the country to London. It offers a new level of comfort and utility in the longrange segment, says CARLOS BRANA, Executive VP Civil Aircraft, Dassault Aviation, in this one-on-one with CRUISING HEIGHTS

Q&A: "CFM's footprint in India will expand"

Currently, CFM has a backlog of 1,500+ LEAP engines in the Indian subcontinent that will support the large and fast-growing domestic market in India, says GAËL MÉHEUST, President and CEO of CFM International, in this one-on-one with CRUISING HEIGHTS

Accelerated growth!

India's growing domestic airlines have led to emergence of the country as a major commercial aviation market. The joint GE/Safran engineering team has laid out a comprehensive technology roadmap including composite fan blades, heat-resistant metal alloys, ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), hybrid electric capability and additive manufacturing. Both GE and Safran are to begin testing a demonstrator engine at their facilities around the middle of this decade with flight testing to begin soon thereafter. Hydrogen combustion capability is also one of the foundational technologies being developed and matured as part of the CFM RISE programme. India is poised to evolve as a major aero-engine manufacturing hub. A report

Q&A: "All Tier-2 cities are showing growth trends"

CareEdge Rating last month issued a report titled \"Airports - Smooth Runway Post Pandemic\". MEHUL PANDYA, MD & CEO, Care Edge, discusses the report and other trends in this Q&A with CRUISING HEIGHTS

Q&A: India will grow faster than its peers

Alvarez & Marsal India (A&M India) Managing Director SUDEEP MEHROTRA and Senior Director VARUN AGRAWAL put together key changes observed in the Indian airport sector over the last decade and the trends that are likely to shape the sector over the next decade in the paper titled: \"Airports in India at Inflexion Point\". Here, they answer more questions from CRUISING HEIGHTS on their assessment and the key drivers for growth

Q&A: "India is a key market for Embraer"

The cost-per-seat of the E195-E2 is equivalent to the larger 180-seat aircraft that are prevalent in India, while the cost-per-trip is more than 20 percent lower. These attributes make the E195-E2 a very compelling platform to connect cities in India, explains RAUL VILLARON, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Embraer Commercial Aviation, in this interaction with CRUISING HEIGHTS

Q&A: "A long-standing relationship"

In an interview with CRUISING HEIGHTS, Boeing India's President SALIL GUPTE speaks on the exciting developments in India and on how Boeing is taking advantage of the enormous growth in the aviation sector

Q&A: "There is a large ATR ecosystem"

ATR aircraft have been playing, and will continue to play, an essential role to make air transport more accessible and inclusive in India, because they offer a unique combination of unparalleled economics, comfort, reliability, airport accessibility and sustainability, says JEAN-PIERRE CLERCIN, Head of Sales Asia Pacific, ATR, in this interview with CRUISING HEIGHTS

6E's turboprop ambitions

IndiGo's ATR fleet turns five and the carrier is going from strength to strength with its turboprop fleet. A dexterous use of the machines on the UDAN network and as a feeder to its trunk routes has made this machine critical to the 6E network. AMEYA JOSHI examines and reviews their performance and looks at the path ahead

Uncle Santa visits Mumbai

Santa Claus has begun his world tour. Finally, with no travel restrictions, Santa Claus is switching from Rudolph's sleigh to his official airline,-the Finnish national carrier, Finnair.

Phone Calls on Airplanes Are Coming to European Skies

Passengers may soon be able to make phone calls on flights in the European Union thanks to a recent ruling by the European Commission.

SITA FORESEES INDUSTRY MEGATREND

The Gen Z and millennial travellers driving a digital transformation of the transport industry will be demanding a far more integrated digital journey, and accelerating the digital way of life, according to \"Meet the Megatrends,\" a new report from SITA that examines 12 emerging trends that will significantly morph the travel landscape by 2033.

Union Ministry & ISRO develop mobile app

The Ministry of Development of NorthEastern Region (MoDoNER) has in collaboration with North Eastern Space Application Centre Sikkim Gangtok Meg T (NESAC) under the department of space has developed a projectmonitoring mobile application.

ISRO hails performance of PSLV-XL's motor

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has said that the performance of the booster motor made by Economic Explosives Ltd for its PSLV-XL rocket was satisfactory.

Spacecraft for 'Gaganyaan' mission developed

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has developed a spacecraft for carrying astronauts to space as part of the ambitious 'Gaganyaan' mission and the crew module that has been successfully designed is under production.

ISRO to boost use of Navic

To promote the use of 'NAVigation with the Indian Constellation' (NavIC), the Indian version of GPS, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will introduce the L1 frequency in all its future satellites, Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for the Department of Space, said in parliament recently.

ISRO to develop geoportal 'Geo-Ladakh'

Government of Union Territory of Ladakh has approached the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), a unit of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for developing \"Spatial Data Infrastructure geoportal 'GeoLadakh' for UT-Ladakh\".